Makar sanskrant is celebrated all over India

‘Makar sanskrant’ is a very auspicious day for Hindus. I was in Jaipur this time, end of January, when my cousin announced that it was the festive day. “So what happens?’ I asked her. “Oh you must wear yellow on this day. It is very lucky day”, later during the day I was to realize that the day was so auspicious that many wedding were planned on that day. Makar Sankrant is the day when earth, farthest from the sun starts its journey north (Uttarayan) towards the sun, ending the year’s coldest month Paush, beginning the month of Magh. In Sindh, this day is celebrated as an auspicious festival day. People light a bonfire and pray to Agnidevta. The assembled families dance and make merry and chant Shlokas and partake sweets made of Til, singing ‘the cold winter day recede and sun bring the warmth. In Punjab. They celebrate as ‘Lohri’ for better crop. They relish warm chikki, revri and gajjak around the bonfire, the farmers throw puffed rice and popcorns chanting ‘ may poverty vanish and honor come’ In Maharastra, they exchange fried til with gur and greet each other by singing ‘let the friendship between us be sweetened by til and gur’ In Gujarat, they fly kites on this day. In Andhara Pradesh, it is called ‘Pedda Panduranga’ and it lasts for four days In Tamil Nadu it is celebrated as ‘Pongal’ the Prasad is made up of green gram, rice, and gur cooked to mush and represents Lord Narayana, Mahalaxmi and their devine love. It is to remind that we need to establish that Devine love within ourselves and direct our wayward minds towards Lord.